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About 25 people stood last night in front of the Lucas Sullivant statue, wedged between the
Scioto River and COSI Columbus, to listen to Doreen Uhas Sauer at this year’s first Columbus Art
Walk.

Looking at the construction-laden banks of the Scioto, Uhas Sauer, past president of the
Columbus Landmarks Foundation, unleashed a torrent of dates and numbers, facts and figures, telling
the story of a river on which the foundation of the city was built.

The group then set off on an hourlong walk through the river section of Franklinton.

Every so often, they stopped in front of a building or a statue to learn about floods, river
rats or the pioneer Sullivant family, among other topics.

Since 2010, the art walks have given residents and visitors alike tours of the city’s
neighborhoods, bringing together fitness and history in one evening stroll.

“We thought if we could marry the great architecture of our city with a physical activity, it
would be beneficial to our residents and our visitors,” said Jose Rodriguez, spokesman for Columbus
Public Health.

Public Health partnered with the Columbus Landmarks Foundation last year to add more in-depth
information to the walks. Staff members from both organizations were present for yesterday’s
Franklinton tour, offering their knowledge to the group.

“The idea was to give people a taste of what’s out there, to help provide some context,” Uhas
Sauer said, “to say what these neighborhoods are all about and who these people are.”

Uhas Sauer battled a windy evening with a small microphone around her neck, unveiling the
little-known stories of the area as she went.

The crowd, half of whom were newcomers to the Art Walk and half were veterans of walks past,
offered up their own stories and memories of the area along the way.

“It’s well worth the time,” said Pam McKinley of Worthington. She attended six tours last
year.

“It’s a wonderful experience. We have friends that come along with us, too.”

“There’s a lot of new energy to the Franklinton area, and I think that’s part of the enthusiasm
of an area that’s becoming rich in the arts now,” he said.

The new development in Franklinton blended with the old history of the neighborhood, as people
of all ages took in the descriptions of what the area was compared with what it is now.

“I wanted to point out both history and culture and some of the things that are happening along
the way,” Uhas Sauer said.

The walks meet at a different landmark in a different neighborhood each week, starting at 6:30
p.m. They run through Oct. 12.

The city also offers maps online for those who want to go on art walks on their own time,
Rodriguez said. Walkers can call a number listed on Public Health’s website and hear a recording
that explains some of the history of each landmark on the walk.

The next tour will meet at 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Livingston Avenue United Methodist Church in
German Village. For more information and a complete list of tour dates, visit
http://columbuslandmarks.org/art-walks.